City Receives $237,000 Streetscape Grant
Main Street Improvements will include bike racks, benches & trees
City officials have announced the award of a $237,000 Transportation Alternatives Program [TAP] grant for Main Street.
The city’s main corridor [owned by the state] is one of only 27 projects totaling $19.46 million awarded by the Federal Highway Administration of the US Department of Transportation.
“Main Street is one of Asbury Park’s biggest and busiest roads, and is a real artery for the City,” Mayor John Moor said in a written statement. “As we work toward structural improvements for the road, we are delighted that we can improve the overall look and feel of the street, through the assistance provided by this grant. I’d also like to thank the staff members who worked so hard to obtain this grant funding, so that we aren’t using any taxpayer dollars for this project.”
The project will be done in 
conjunction with the Road Diet Pilot aimed at reducing the four lane roadway north of Springwood Avenue to the Loch Arbour border to two travel lanes with the addition of center turn lanes and bicycle lanes at the perimeter. The funding will support outfitting Main Street with bike racks, benches, street trees and landscaping, officials said.
“So many people come into Asbury Park through Main Street, or drive and bike along it to get to work or enjoy the City,” Councilman Jesse Kendle said. “Making the street more beautiful will touch all of those lives, and change the experience of Asbury Park for thousands of people.”
The North Jersey Transportation Authority [NJTPA], the local agency responsible for disseminating the federal funds, received 77 project submissions in November, officials said. The TAP grant subsidizes construction of “non-traditional” community-based projects which are meant to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the county’s infrastructure. The eligible categories include provisions for bicycles and pedestrians facilities, landscaping and other scenic beautification, and historic preservation.
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